Running gear, steering and rudder

What to inspect · Power & sail

Shafts, bearings, stuffing boxes, props, struts, steering and rudders are mostly checked on the haul-out. Wear here is usually affordable to fix, but a neglected stuffing box can sink a boat, and water inside a sailboat rudder can quietly corrode its internal frame.

Props, shafts, bearings and struts

• On the haul-out the surveyor checks propellers, shafts, cutless bearings, struts, anodes and any thrusters or trim tabs. Worn cutless or rudder bearings are a common survey finding.
• Engine mounts, alignment and the hull under them work together. On older boats with wet stringers the hull can flex and throw the alignment out. Repair yards have also found odd installs, such as a shaft with only one bearing between gearbox and prop.

Stuffing box or shaft seal

• A traditional stuffing box should drip a little underway; Practical Sailor gives 3 to 4 drips a minute. Much more means it needs adjusting or new packing, and old, hard packing can score the shaft.
• Check the shaft log hose and its clamps too. In BoatUS insurance data, stuffing boxes top the list of underwater fittings behind boats sinking at the dock.
• Dripless shaft seals have their own service needs; ask when the seal and its hose were last replaced.

Steering

• Turn the wheel lock to lock from each helm. Stiff or notchy steering, corroded cables or linkages, and leaking hydraulic fittings are common findings on older boats.
• Test the autopilot at sea if there is one; it works the steering hard and shows up wear.

Rudders

• With the boat hauled, grab the bottom of the rudder and push it side to side. It should feel firm, with no clunk or free play in the bearings.
• Many fiberglass sailboat rudders have a stainless steel frame inside. Water that gets in can corrode the welds until the frame breaks away from the stock, and water that freezes can split the rudder along its seam.
• Signs of water inside include weeping or rust stains after haul-out. A common test is a small drain hole drilled low in the rudder to see whether water runs out, sealed again before launch; get the owner's permission first.
• Look at the stock where it enters the hull for pitting or crevice corrosion. Pacific Yachting suggests having anything deeper than about 1/16 inch checked by a surveyor or boatbuilder.

General guidance for recreational boaters, researched from the sources listed and written in our own words. Your equipment manuals, local knowledge, the Navigation Rules and a qualified instructor come first.